Teacher Assistant-Floater

This is a Teacher Assistant Floater position and will go between the Seguin and New Braunfels Head Start Centers.

JOB SUMMARY:

The Head Start Teacher Assistant-floater is responsible for the assisting the Head Start Teachers in implementation of the program in an assigned classroom and ensuring that classroom operates in compliance with Head Start Performance Standards, TDFPS Minimum Standards and all state and local regulations. The Head Start Teacher Assistant provides care and education for children and their families in a child care setting, provides a supportive, safe, and stimulating learning environment and will be knowledgeable of Texas Minimum Standards for Licensing and Head Start Performance Standards. This is a year-round position. This position will travel between both Seguin and New Braunfels centers depending on where coverage is needed and will assist in providing care for children ages 6 weeks to 4 years old (both Early Head Start and Head Start children).

ESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES AND FUNCTIONS:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Assists Teachers in maintaining a calm, safe classroom and playground that incorporates developmental appropriateness; assists in creating an atmosphere in which the children feel comfortable and secure, reflecting the cultures of all enrolled children to include children with special needs.
• Provides direct classroom support necessary to maintain program classroom ratio and ensure two teachers are present at all times; assists with providing breaks and other classroom needs as requested.
• Ensures the safety of children through constant supervision, effective arrangement of space, proper maintenance of equipment and regular practice of fire drills and other emergency procedures.
• Works closely with the Teacher to develop lesson plans that meet the physical, social, emotional, and intellectual needs of each child; plans small and large group activities for variation in ability levels and individual interests.
• Assists Teacher in incorporates developmentally appropriate practice according to the Head Start Performance Standards.
• Assists Teacher in ensuring continuity of curriculum and high standards of equality in the classroom; works individually with children who experience difficulty in group activities.
• Consistently implements center routines, including hand washing, tooth brushing, eating, napping, and transitioning between activities.
• Operates the classroom in compliance with all childcare-licensing standards, paying particular attention to standards prohibiting any form of physical punishment.
• Assists Teacher in ensuring that the arrangement of each classroom provides a stimulating, clean, and safe learning environment.
• Ensures proper documentation in children's files in all content areas.
• Assists Teacher in ensuring Individual Education Plan (IEP) or Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP) goals are implemented in the classroom for each identified child; continues the ongoing assessment process, maintaining written and electronic records on each child.
• Ensures all classrooms have a variety of materials and planned activities designed to encourage individual and group play to promote language/literacy, social-emotional, physical, match & science and cognitive skills to include children with special needs.
• Provides experiences that promote individual self-expression in conversation, imaginative play, and creativity and provides positive guidance to promote self-esteem.
• Provides experiences involving thinking skills such as generalizing, classifying, sorting, and problem solving.
• Makes available a variety of opportunities to help children develop and understands appropriate relationships with others.
• Increases the complexity and challenge of activities as children develop.
• Observes, records, and reports any child's behavior, sharing information appropriately with other EHS/HS management staff for intervention or assistance on improving child's behavior.
• Shows personal development and growth by being relaxed, using a calm, quiet voice, being pleasant and enthusiastic about the children, and by using self-control in trying situations.
• Assists with transition activities for the Head Start child and family: into Head Start, during the year, and to the next placement (kindergarten).
• Joins the children at snack, breakfast, and lunchtime, ensuring that the Head Start philosophy of serving family style meals is maintained and that the children serve themselves. The Teacher Assistant and Teacher will both be seated at the table(s) with the children at mealtimes.
• Joins the children at snack, breakfast and lunchtime, ensuring that the Head Start philosophy of serving family style meals is practiced and encourage children in eating a variety of components from My Plate Plan for kids. The Teacher Assistant and Teacher will both sit at the table(s) with the children at mealtimes.
• Encourages the involvement of the families of the children in a Head Start Program and supports the development of relationships between children and their families through frequent communication.
• Assists Teacher as needed to complete and submit TSG weekly lesson plans to include individualization for all children, curriculum box, ongoing documentation and ensures age-appropriate activities are provided including those children with special needs.
• Assists Teacher as needed to ensure child or family participation is documented appropriately into TSG; ensures high quality age-appropriate lessons/activities continue to be provided through CLASS DOJO virtual, live-lessons (when applicable).
• Assists Center Aides with their duties as needed to include: assisting with laundry, ensuring bathrooms, kitchen, and lobby are clean and adequately stocked, assisting with inventory and maintenance of center equipment and supplies and picking up and delivering meals.
• Familiarizes self, gains knowledge of and implements School Readiness Goals in the classroom to align with ELOF.
• Assist with lunch breaks for classroom staff.
• Ensures completion of screening and assessments to meet 45/90-day Head Start Performance Program Standards compliance.
• Reports all suspected child abuse to the Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-252-5400 or to an immediate supervisor.
• Follows CCSCT Policies and Procedures and maintains confidentiality in all phases of agency operations.
• Attends and participates in continuous professional development trainings through a variety of methods including in-person trainings conducted by Education Coach, Education & Disabilities Manager, Center Director, Program Director, webinars, use of Office of Head Start resources (ECKLC), CLASS, TSG, and attending meetings, conferences and other resources as needed to increase professional knowledge, serves on committees as assigned.
• Be willing to participate in coaching and feedback through Practice Based Coaching model to include role modeling, side-by-side coaching or videotape.
• Familiarizes self with the agency's Strategic Plan and gains an overall understanding of how position contributes to the accomplishment of goals within that plan.
• Attends and participates in staff meetings and related activities; attends conferences, workshops, and trainings to increase professional knowledge; serves on committees as assigned.
• Performs other related duties as assigned or required.Hill Country Community Action Association https://hccaa.applicantpro.com

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SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

This position has no supervisory responsibilities.

JOB REQUIREMENTS:

Education and Experience Requirements

• Must possess one of the following:
  • Current Child Development Associate Birth to Five (CDA) credential or a comparable certificate or credential that meets or exceeds the national infant/toddler center-based CDA credential requirements. Individuals without a CDA credential, who do not meet any of the other requirements below, will be required to enroll in a CDA program to be completed within two (2) years from date of hire
  • Be enrolled in a program to obtain their Associate's or Bachelor's degree in child development or early childhood education (ECE) as well as training or coursework with a focus on infant and toddler development
• Prior experience working with children age birth to five in a licensed child-care facility or other childcare setting preferred.
• Bilingual in Spanish and English preferred.
• Must be flexible and travel between Seguin and New Braunfels Centers to assist wherever needed to assist in providing care for children ages 6 weeks to 4 years old (both Early Head Start and Head Start children).

Other Requirements

• Must successfully complete a pre-employment criminal background check, initial health screening, TB test, drug test and motor vehicle records check. Must be able to pass regular criminal background checks and submit to TB tests as required.
• Must be at least 21 years of age, have a valid Class 'C' Texas Driver's License with an acceptable driving record and have access to a reliable vehicle with current vehicle liability insurance; must be willing to travel within service area.
• Must maintain CPR and First Aid certifications.
• Must be able to work Monday through Friday between the hours of 7:00am-6:00pm. Schedules may vary based on business needs.
• Must be able to work year round as this is a year round position.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Knowledge of federally funded Child Care programs associated with serving low-income clients (i.e. Child Care Services, Head Start) preferred.
• Knowledge of Texas Minimum Standards for licensing, Head Start Act and Head Start Program Performance Standards preferred.
• Working knowledge of computers and basic to intermediate skills in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook); able to operate office machines such as fax, scanner, printer, copier, and telephone.
• Effective communication skills with an ability to communicate clearly and concisely, both verbally and in writing, with persons from varied ethnic, socioeconomic, educational and cultural backgrounds.
• Ability to analyze the effectiveness of classroom operation and choose the most effective course of action for the Head Start Program at any given point in time.
• Ability to provide guidance to classroom staff, maintain records and prepare reports.
• Ability to resolve problems, manage conflict and make effective decisions under pressure.
• Ability to read, comprehend and follow oral and written instructions.
• Ability to work well in a team environment, collaborating with others to accomplish business objectives.
• Ability to use sound judgment and make timely decisions based on careful, objective review and analysis of available considerations and factors.
• Ability to maintain effective working relationships with agency staff, management, program participants, and others encountered in the course of work.
• Ability to deal with frequent change, delays or unexpected events and adapt to changes accordingly in the workplace.

TRAVEL:

Travel to and from various sites throughout the CCSCT service area may be required occasionally to attend meetings, in-service training or pre-service training. Occasional out-of-state and overnight travel may be required for conferences.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to interact with the children on their level at times (on the floor). In addition, this position is frequently required to sit, stand, bend, walk, stoop, kneel, talk, hear, see, use hands to finger, handle or feel objects, tools or controls, and reach with hands and arms. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus. This position requires manual dexterity sufficient to operate standard office equipment and tools. The employee must be able to react quickly (run after a child or go to the scene of an accident). The employee must be able to lift and/or carry up to 40 lbs.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

Work is generally performed in a child care or classroom setting in which there is moderate exposure to unpleasant and/or hazardous working conditions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate to loud. Employee must be able to function in an environment with constant interruptions.